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- 10 Ways a Poet Can Get The Bag
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(if you are not a poet, send this to a poet you know)
Poetry can be passion and profit.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your words into a paycheck, this list is for you.
Here are 10 real ways to monetize your poetry—starting with the easiest, no-fluff needed. Let’s get into it.
Read the info I have compiled for you… then read the reason why I am sharing this in context…
1. Perform at Paid Events
Get booked to bless the mic.
Start pitching to event organizers, colleges, and arts collectives.
Where to start:
Eventbrite & Meetup: Search for poetry nights or open mics and reach out to organizers.
HeyPoetry, Substack or IG Pages: Many feature paid gigs weekly.
LinkedIn: Yup—college programming boards do scout here. Build your profile as a speaker/artist.
2. Self-Publish a Chapbook or Full Collection
Turn your verses into volumes.
You don’t need permission to publish your poetry.
Where to start:
Amazon KDP: Free and beginner-friendly. Great for global reach.
Blurb or Lulu: Beautiful print quality if design matters.
Gumroad: If you're selling a digital zine or PDF version directly to your audience.
3. Create Custom Poems
Poetry that marks life’s big (and small) moments.
Great for weddings, births, even breakup recovery kits.
Where to start:
Etsy: Launch a shop for custom poem orders.
Fiverr or Upwork: Offer your services under “custom writing.”
Instagram Highlights: Showcase examples + setup a simple commission form with Google Forms or Ko-fi.
4. Host Workshops or Writing Circles
Create the space you wish existed.
People crave vulnerability. If you can guide it, you can charge for it.
Where to start:
Teachable or Podia: Build a structured online course.
Zoom + Eventbrite: Host virtual sessions with easy registration.
Local Libraries or Co-Working Spaces: They often pay facilitators or offer free rooms.
5. Apply for Grants & Fellowships
Someone is literally waiting to fund your next poem. You just have to ask… (with a solid proposal.)
Where to start:
Poets & Writers Grants Database: Filter by genre and location.
Creative Capital & NYFA (NY-based): Major funders of poets and artists.
Submittable: Search “poetry grants” or “artist residency” regularly.
6. Build a Patreon or Membership Model
Let your audience support your growth—directly.
Share poems, drafts, voice notes, or behind-the-scenes process.
Where to start:
Patreon: Most popular for creative membership.
Buy Me a Coffee: Offers one-time tips + memberships.
Discord: Build a private creative community for monthly subscribers.
7. License Your Work
Let your words live beyond the page.
Think brand collabs, commercials, or films.
Where to start:
Voices.com or Mandy.com: If you want to record your poetry too.
The Freelancer’s Union or Creative Commons: Learn how to protect and license your work.
Cold pitch agencies, nonprofits, or YouTube creators: Offer licensing options via email or DMs with a sample catalog.
8. Sell Merch with Your Words
Turn bars into wearable art.
Short poems. One-liners. Mantras. They belong on merch.
Where to start:
Printful + Shopify or Stan Store: Print-on-demand with zero inventory.
Bonfire or Teespring: Easy-to-use platforms to launch your first drop.
Canva: Design bold, text-forward visuals of your favorite verses.
9. Offer Editing or Ghostwriting Services
Not everyone can write like you. But they wish they could. You’ve got a skill. Package it.
Where to start:
Reedsy: Work with authors on poetry and prose.
Upwork/Fiverr: Create gigs for writing help or lyrical editing.
LinkedIn + Twitter (X): Share a few tips + client wins to attract writers who need you.
10. Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel
Let people hear your voice. Literally.
Your delivery. Your cadence. Your storytelling. It's a vibe.
Where to start:
Anchor.fm (now Spotify for Podcasters): Start your podcast for free.
YouTube Shorts or Lives: Share 30-second poem drops to grow quickly.
Substack Notes or Beehiiv: Add audio to your newsletter for bonus engagement.
Before algorithms, hashtags, or even dial-up internet… I was just a poet with something to say. I still remember the first time I stepped on stage—sometime around 1995—after a Nuyorican Rule comedy show at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The poem was True Boricua, and that moment lit a fire in me. I knew I wanted to share untold stories with the world.
Not long after, I met my creative brother Juan “PapoSwiggity” Santiago, and together we birthed Capicu Culture, a Brooklyn-rooted poetry showcase we launched in 2007 to give our people a mic and a moment. We weren’t chasing clout—we were cultivating community.
At the same time, in my tenth year I was still planting the seeds for Sofrito For Your Soul, building a digital home for Latinx storytelling before the term “creator” was even a thing. I was always surrounded by dope poets, but I also witnessed something that haunted me: folks I admired—true legends—leaving this world having barely made rent from the art that moved generations.
I’ll never forget when I realized someone made more money writing about one of our poets than that poet made across their entire career. That f*cked me up.
But even way back then… before brand deals and the influencer wave, I knew poets deserved more. And I believed we could change that. I’ve been saying this since 2007: poets should be paid fairly for the weight they carry and the worlds they create.
And I didn’t just say it—I proved it.
We built a bridge.
We paid folks.
Some of your favorite poets got their very first check because of it all.
Years later, I had the honor of teaching a capstone course just for poets—showing them how to build a brand around their gift without selling out. And the post you're reading now? It’s an evolved version of that same mission.
Because 10 years later, the message is the same:
Your words are sacred—but they can also be sustainable.
And you don’t have to starve for your art to be respected.
Please share this with your favorite poet,
As I am,
George
The Poet Formally Known As Jibaro
#SiembraConnect #PoetryIsPower #MonetizeYourVoice #CultivatingCreativity
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